No blood showed on Virginie as yet.

Gervaise aimed at her ears, maddened at not being able to reach them.

At length she succeeded in seizing hold of one of the earrings--an imitation pear in yellow glass--which she pulled out and slit the ear, and the blood flowed.
"They're killing each other! Separate them, the vixens!" exclaimed several voices.
The other women had drawn nearer.

They formed themselves into two camps.
Some were cheering the combatants on as the others were trembling and turning their heads away saying that it was making them sick.

A large fight nearly broke out between the two camps as the women called each other names and brandished their fists threateningly.